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A Life Rooted in Paulding
Herb Monroe — friend to all, stranger to none — moved to Paulding in the summer of 1941 to become manager of the Paulding-Putnam Electric Cooperative. At just 27 years old and newly married, he had interviewed earlier that spring while working as assistant manager at Old Licking Rural Electric. He applied “just to get his name in the pot,” never expecting to be chosen. When the board called to say their original hire had fallen through and he was now the manager, Herb panicked.
He tried to turn the job down — even driving to Washington, D.C., to plead his case at the National Rural Electric office. But everyone reassured him he was qualified. When he personally visited a board trustee in the field to decline, the trustee brushed him off: the decision was final.
So, in the middle of a record-breaking heat wave, Herb and his pregnant wife Millie moved to Paulding. The smell of cooked sugar beets from the local factory greeted them, and Herb promised they’d only stay five years.
A Commitment to Community
Herb and Millie built their life here, raising three sons in the clay soil of Paulding County. After the tragic loss of their oldest son in 1949, the kindness shown by the community moved Herb deeply — he vowed to stay and give back.
The Monroes joined First Presbyterian Church in 1943 and became charter members of its Schooner Club, formed for couples whose combined age didn’t exceed 80. That rule was quickly forgotten as friendships grew. Each New Year’s Eve was spent in laughter and music, and every August, the group hosted a community corn supper at the Danklefsen barn, raising funds for church projects.
Herb joined the church choir even before officially becoming a member. From 1941 until the spring before his passing, he sang every Sunday he was in town. He practiced faithfully, often asking to sing “just one more time” to get it right. Over the years, he served nearly every church office and remained invaluable on the property committee — his electrical know-how and willingness to climb tall ladders were legendary.
A Man of Many Roles
In the 1940s, before television, Paulding’s Community Institutes featured plays and speakers. Herb joined the “Rural Entertainers,” quickly becoming a local favorite with his lanky frame, red hair, glasses, and natural comedic timing.
He was later elected to the school board in the 1950s, though he humbly admitted being wrong “more than half the time.” Coaching Little League in the 1960s had similar results — he joked that one year was enough.
Herb served as Paulding County Cancer Society campaign chairman in 1954 and, alongside Millie, volunteered in Red Cross blood drives for decades.
Service Above Self
Herb found a lifelong passion in Kiwanis, joining soon after its 1960 founding. He organized travelogue programs that brought the world to Paulding through film and speakers, helped with the annual chicken dinners during John Paulding Days, and worked tirelessly to keep the group’s music alive — whether by finding a piano player or convincing his pastor to bring a guitar.
He was also deeply involved in the Paulding Area Chamber of Commerce, always supporting local progress and community causes.
Love, Loss, and Legacy
When Millie developed Alzheimer’s, Herb cared for her at home as long as possible, later forming the Paulding County Alzheimer’s Support Group, which continues to this day. In 1997, he was named Ohio’s Caregiver of the Year, honored at the Governor’s Mansion for his devotion.
After Millie’s passing, Herb began delivering Meals on Wheels for the Senior Center, enjoying the company and conversation of everyone he met. His humor was constant — if liver and onions were on the menu, he’d grin and say, “Deliver us from liver!”
In 1991, Herb served as Grand Marshal of the John Paulding Days Parade. Later, his lifelong service was immortalized when the Herb K. Monroe Substation in New Haven, Indiana, was named in his honor — the only Paulding-Putnam substation named after a person. Herb’s response: “It’s shocking!”
A Heart for Paulding
Herb Monroe was a man of family, faith, and friendship — an example of kindness, humility, and humor that brightened Paulding County for seven decades. The day before his passing, he met with friends at The Gardens of Paulding, no doubt ready to talk about Ohio State football and the upcoming basketball season. Those who shared coffee with him that day surely left with lighter hearts.
